Local News

Heritage Foundation gearing up for annual auction

Group's main fundraiser set April 4 at Country Steak-Out

By Jenni Grubbs

Times Staff Writer

Posted:
03/07/2014 02:54:44 PM MST

Fort Morgan Heritage Foundation Board member,s from left, Deb Forstedt, Sara Canfield and Deb Gachne check out the painting artist Karol Mack donated to the foundation's annual art auction, to be held April 4 at the Country Steak-Out in Fort Morgan. Each year, many artists donate their work and businesses donate various other items to the live and silent auctions, which benefit operations at Fort Morgan Museum. (Jenni Grubbs / Fort Morgan Times)

She cautioned her fellow board members that the event is "more than a week — 10 days — earlier than last year," so they needed to work to get the word out and sell tickets.

The 2013 live auction raised $14,630, and the silent auction added another $3,779.50. That money went to benefit regular operations at Fort Morgan Museum, not the exhibits redesign project.

Fort Morgan Heritage Foundation Treasurer Rob Carruth checks out the Colorado Avalanche hockey puck signed by player Paul Stasny that will be available at the foundation's annual art auction April 4 at the Country Steak-Out. In addition to art, the auction usually includes things like sports memorabilia, game tickets, jewelry and more that were donated to the foundation to support operations at Fort Morgan Museum. (Jenni Grubbs / Fort Morgan Times)

The same will be true of money raised at this year's auction, according Heritage Foundation President Don Ostwald.

Dowling showed the board a couple of the items that will be available in the auction: an original Karol Mack painting and a Colorado Avalanche hockey puck signed by player Paul Stasny.

Ostwald reminded the board that every member would need to help with getting ready for the auction.

Tickets to the event cost $25 each and include cocktail hour, entertainment, appetizer buffet, door prize drawings, silent auction and the live auction. They are available from any Heritage Foundation Board member, at the Library & Museum or call Ronda Dowling at 970-867-6923.

Exhibits project

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Museum Educator/Exhibits Redesign Project Manager Andrew Dunehoo told the board that contractor Traub Design Associates would be back in Fort Morgan starting March 17 for more installation work.

"We finished about half of the rail casing in the second gallery" after the Traubs' last visit, and they will bring even more stuff to install with the coming trip, he said. "I gave a presentation to the Lions Club about the progress, and even I was thinking, 'we really have come a long way.'"

This display at Fort Morgan Public Library, shown here March 4, contains a few of the items that will be up for bid at the 26th annual Fort Morgan Heritage Foundation Auction on April 4 at the Country Steak-Out. (Jenni Grubbs / Fort Morgan Times)

Contractor Bruntz Electric had laid out all of the electrical work in the East Gallery, Dunehoo reported, and Fort Morgan Building Inspector Mike Kirkendall had gone over the work and so far was satisfied.

Dunehoo said there had not been any major problems, and things were "moving along on schedule."